The view from my hotel window

I slept soundly Sunday night. All the time spent traveling and working my way up to a Dublin arrival took a toll and I crashed hard. But I’ve learned my lesson from past international travels, and kept myself up to the normal hour when I go to bed. Without an alarm, I woke up around 7am and felt ready to tackle the novel project. I surprised myself. I worried that I underestimated the time and discipline it takes to meet aggressive daily word quotas. Breakfast took forever quickly crept in to my designated writing time. But I still managed to bang out over 2,000 words before lunch and reserved the rest of the afternoon to tour Trinity College, Grafton Street and Temple Bar.

Trinity College was more than I expected. The campus was beautiful. I spent the 8 euros and took the tour of the library. It’s against my nature to go where tourists go, but I knew if I went home without seeing the parts of Dublin that make it Dublin, I would be sorry. I wasn’t disappointed. Seeing the Book of Kells humbled me. It was fitting that I would get the chance to study such a manuscript when I was starting a book. The lettering and artwork are stunning. Photos don’t do it justice. On a photo, the pages just look like any old book. But up close, you can see the guidelines the monks used to keep their script so neat. You see the rich colors of the artwork. Someone actually spent time hand lettering this book. Awesome!

I shuffled around the campus and got to see the outside of the Samuel Beckett Theatre — a great building. Then I rambled over to the pitch and watched a cricket match in progress. I don’t understand cricket, and from what I understand, it’s not as popular an Irish sport as Gaelic Football or Hurling. But it was fun to watch this crew. One of the players had an American flag draped around his neck like a cape. I didn’t know whether to be insulted or proud.

After Trinity College, I made my way down Grafton Street. The main thoroughfare is a commercial extravaganza. I took it in, but then turned on to side streets and people watched, with my camera in hand. I managed to get a little lost and found myself back on Dame Street, which was fortuitous because I wanted to explore that area. Stopping only to grab some stew and a pint, I made my way to Christ Church, Dublin Castle and St. Patrick’s. The walk enriched the soul.

That night, I dined at Eden Restaurant in Temple Bar and took in a play at the Olympia Theatre: _The Last Days of the Celtic Tiger_. It was not the finest specimen of theatre I’ve seen, but I can now safely say I’ve attended shows on Broadway, in the West End, and in Dublin. My theatrical palette is gaining seasoning. I finished the night drinking pints at The Temple Bar, where I enjoyed live music and a lively scene.

Tuesday was another productive writing day — more than 2,200 words and deep into chapter two. I cheated a little and let myself leave the room first thing in the morning to have breakfast somewhere other than the hotel. I ended up in a small cafe off Grafton Street, where I enjoyed an “Irish Breakfast Feast” of sausages, bacon, black and white pudding, eggs and toast. Delicious.

When I finished at around noon, I hustled out to tour more of the city. I went back to Christ Church because it was on the way to the Guinness Storehouse. I figured I should actually go inside. Christ Church is one of the oldest churches in Dublin, originally built by the Viking invaders. It’s a Gothic spectacle.

After wandering around the crypts and archways of the church, I resumed my path to Guinness. First, let me say this: they’ve got quite a racket. I’m not saying it’s undeserved, because Guinness is so delicious. But I will say that they’ve cornered the Irish market. 14 Euros to tour the facility, but a pint is included. Gradually climbing up seven stories, I learned how they make the beer, how they built a near monopoly, and how they’ve advertised their success. The best part is the 7th floor, an oval skybar with a 360 degree view of Dublin. It’s a nice place to enjoy a pint.

When I’d finished drinking and spending some money in the shop, I headed back towards City Centre. I crossed O’Connell Bridge and snapped some photos of the hustle and bustle of Dublin. Hiking my way up O’Connell Street, I stopped only to people watch and buy a sweater. I made it back to my hotel in time to prepare for dinner at The Tea Room at the Clarence Hotel. By the time it was done, I was stuffed and ready to call it a day (it’s early, but I’m tired).

Tomorrow I head to Cork for an overnight stay in the city of my ancestors. I will also tackle 2,000 more words.

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Tags: Ireland, me, novel, Travel

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